Tomorrow, NaNoWriMo begins. That means a variety of things. For my real life friends, it means that they are likely to be updated on my word count far more often then they would like to be. Sorry, guys. For me, it means a lot less free time (which is already some thing I'm low on), and that means less blogging time.
A couple of weeks ago, I said that I was going to get 8-10 posts written over the course of October, to be published through out November. Great idea, right? Well, I got one post written. I think it's a good one, but it's just one. That means that the blog is going to be pretty quiet for the next thirty days.
There will be a school update every Friday (though they might be a little shorter then usual), and a NaNo update every Saturday. I'm toying with the idea of doing a live blogging week later in the month, to give people an idea of what it's like to be a homeschooled teen trying to write a novel in a month, but that may or may not happen.
School this week hasn't really happened, though I got some done yesterday, and some today. I still have a few hours before Halloween events begin, so I hope to do a bit more. No matter how much I do, it will be no where near what my goals were, but that's just the reality of it.
Okay, this is the last official post until Saturday. Normally, I'd do a post about school tomorrow, but I'm going to skip that this week, and include this week and next week both in the next post.
Are you ready to write a novel?
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
A Question from the Comments
Today I am finally answering the question I got over a month ago from Nita in a comment:
First of all, I'm so sorry it took me so long to answer your question! Now, let's get into the actual question. I'm going to answer it a few parts.
First of all, I think that taking classes outside of the home is very motivating. Having the structure and demands of a traditional class setting can be strange to a homeschooler, but it is a good thing to experience, especially if you plan on going to college. As far as time goes, I find that it all depends on what else you are doing. Typically, when I have done classes outside of the home, those are my priority. Two years ago, I took a Brit Lit class, and a Chemistary class, and the homework I got was always the #1 most important thing. It came before my work at home (history, latin, math, logic), and it came before any free time I had. In general, I would not say that doing classes gives me less time to do other school, or to have fun, I think it requires more planning and time management.
Is it harder to meet people when you are homeschooling for high school? This is a varition on the #1 question most homeschoolers get (What about socialization?), and because of that, I have a bit of a knee jerk reaction to it (as many homeschoolers would, I suspect). I think, though, that while most homeschoolers are not going to be forever outcasts of society because they never had any friends, it is still something that homeschoolers struggle with, and not something to ignore.
My simple answer is yes, it is harder to meet people. You don't have the built in friends that come with school, but that does not mean that you have to be all alone. What you need to do is more proactive about seeking out friendships. As a rather shy person, this is often hard for me to do. My suggestion is to find some activities with other people. If there is a homeschool group in your area, maybe connect with them. If you like sports, maybe consider joining a local team. I volunteer at the local library, and I have made several good friends through that.
Don't assume that friendships with come to you, but at the same time, don't force it. I suggest finding activites to do, because that way you will be around people who you have things in common with. Even if they go to school, you both love soccer, or chess, or writing, and that can be the common factor you need. At the same time, not everybody is going to be your best friend, so don't assume they will be.
If you are taking classes at a community college, think about joining some clubs. If you like photography, you might find friends in the photography club, or even on the staff of the college newspaper. So, there is my advice. While homeschoolers are not friendless outcasts because of our educational choices, we do sometimes need to do a little more work to get that social interaction.
I know this post is late coming, and its longer then I anticipated, but hopefully some of you find it helpful.
If you have any more questions on this, or any other topic, leave it in the comments, and I'll answer it, even if it takes me a while. Also, if you would like to contact me privatly about homeschooling, or my blog, leave a comments, and let me know you would like to keep it private. I won't publish it, but if you leave an email address, I'll get back to you.
I have an 8th grader going to High School soon and I graduated my 16yr old after just 5 months of homeschooling since she was taking college courses. Do you think that taking a class outside the home with other students motivates you more or gives you less time? Is it harder to meet more people when you are homeschooling for high school? My oldest daughter seems a bit misplaced. She doesn't do the same things the kids at the Community College does, but she isn't in typical high school to meet other kids either, do you have this challenge?
First of all, I'm so sorry it took me so long to answer your question! Now, let's get into the actual question. I'm going to answer it a few parts.
First of all, I think that taking classes outside of the home is very motivating. Having the structure and demands of a traditional class setting can be strange to a homeschooler, but it is a good thing to experience, especially if you plan on going to college. As far as time goes, I find that it all depends on what else you are doing. Typically, when I have done classes outside of the home, those are my priority. Two years ago, I took a Brit Lit class, and a Chemistary class, and the homework I got was always the #1 most important thing. It came before my work at home (history, latin, math, logic), and it came before any free time I had. In general, I would not say that doing classes gives me less time to do other school, or to have fun, I think it requires more planning and time management.
Is it harder to meet people when you are homeschooling for high school? This is a varition on the #1 question most homeschoolers get (What about socialization?), and because of that, I have a bit of a knee jerk reaction to it (as many homeschoolers would, I suspect). I think, though, that while most homeschoolers are not going to be forever outcasts of society because they never had any friends, it is still something that homeschoolers struggle with, and not something to ignore.
My simple answer is yes, it is harder to meet people. You don't have the built in friends that come with school, but that does not mean that you have to be all alone. What you need to do is more proactive about seeking out friendships. As a rather shy person, this is often hard for me to do. My suggestion is to find some activities with other people. If there is a homeschool group in your area, maybe connect with them. If you like sports, maybe consider joining a local team. I volunteer at the local library, and I have made several good friends through that.
Don't assume that friendships with come to you, but at the same time, don't force it. I suggest finding activites to do, because that way you will be around people who you have things in common with. Even if they go to school, you both love soccer, or chess, or writing, and that can be the common factor you need. At the same time, not everybody is going to be your best friend, so don't assume they will be.
If you are taking classes at a community college, think about joining some clubs. If you like photography, you might find friends in the photography club, or even on the staff of the college newspaper. So, there is my advice. While homeschoolers are not friendless outcasts because of our educational choices, we do sometimes need to do a little more work to get that social interaction.
I know this post is late coming, and its longer then I anticipated, but hopefully some of you find it helpful.
If you have any more questions on this, or any other topic, leave it in the comments, and I'll answer it, even if it takes me a while. Also, if you would like to contact me privatly about homeschooling, or my blog, leave a comments, and let me know you would like to keep it private. I won't publish it, but if you leave an email address, I'll get back to you.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
NaNoWriMo: Week 0 {Everybody Panic!!!}
I had about five posts I've been meaning to write and post this week, but this is the first time I've even opened up Blogger since Sunday. Sorry! Life has been CRAZY, and it's not looking like it's going to slow down any time soon. I only have about ten minutes to write right now before my grandmother comes to take us to lunch for my sister's birthday. As soon as we get back from that, I will have less then an hour to get all costumed up before heading to a local park to do a Lord of the Rings photo shoot, since we might not have a chance to get any good pictures on Thursday.
Some of the other LOTR people will be coming back to our house after that to participate in a discussion of the Joy Luck Club, which I am hosting, and apparently leading as well, though I have not even looked at any discussion questions yet.
That's just this afternoon. Anyway, I doubt you want to hear about how busy my life is, but at least you have some idea of why the blog has been a little quite, and will probably stay that way.
So, this is going to be be NaNoUpdate number 1. Normally, they will go up on Saturdays, but I forgot to write a post last Saturday. I don't have a lot to say this time, other then that I have hit the panic stage. If you have done NaNo multiple times, you might know what I mean.
Every December I swear that I will never put myself through the torture of NaNo again. In mid September of the following year, I begin to remember how much fun NaNo was, and start getting excited to do it again. On about Oct. 28 or 29, I suddenly remember just how hard and stressful NaNo can be. At this point, I've already told tons of people I'm doing it, and I often have even done a little planning, so I can't back out.
I just hit that panic stage. I've done very little planning this year, less then ever before. I do have two wins (out of two tries) under my belt, so that helps, but such rational thoughts don't do much good against that late October panic.
I have only TWO days left until NaNoWriMo, and they will be completely filled with an insane ammount of STUFF. In fact, the first time I will realiztically have to sit down and relax will be Friday morning. Friday, November 1st. Maybe I should just give up on the idea of relaxation until December. :)
How is your NaNo planning going? Do you get that late October panic too? Do you feel ready to tackle this novel (what a ridiculous question)? Also, if you are a NaNoer, feel free to add me as a buddy! My username is Daisy512 on the site.
Some of the other LOTR people will be coming back to our house after that to participate in a discussion of the Joy Luck Club, which I am hosting, and apparently leading as well, though I have not even looked at any discussion questions yet.
That's just this afternoon. Anyway, I doubt you want to hear about how busy my life is, but at least you have some idea of why the blog has been a little quite, and will probably stay that way.
So, this is going to be be NaNoUpdate number 1. Normally, they will go up on Saturdays, but I forgot to write a post last Saturday. I don't have a lot to say this time, other then that I have hit the panic stage. If you have done NaNo multiple times, you might know what I mean.
Every December I swear that I will never put myself through the torture of NaNo again. In mid September of the following year, I begin to remember how much fun NaNo was, and start getting excited to do it again. On about Oct. 28 or 29, I suddenly remember just how hard and stressful NaNo can be. At this point, I've already told tons of people I'm doing it, and I often have even done a little planning, so I can't back out.
I just hit that panic stage. I've done very little planning this year, less then ever before. I do have two wins (out of two tries) under my belt, so that helps, but such rational thoughts don't do much good against that late October panic.
I have only TWO days left until NaNoWriMo, and they will be completely filled with an insane ammount of STUFF. In fact, the first time I will realiztically have to sit down and relax will be Friday morning. Friday, November 1st. Maybe I should just give up on the idea of relaxation until December. :)
How is your NaNo planning going? Do you get that late October panic too? Do you feel ready to tackle this novel (what a ridiculous question)? Also, if you are a NaNoer, feel free to add me as a buddy! My username is Daisy512 on the site.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Homeschool Friday: October 21-25, 2013 {Week 8} + Life Update
I'm sorry this post is so late! I'm going to quickly go over school stuff here:
School Stuff
School didn't go super well this week. With being sick and busy, a lot didn't get done. In history, I read 20 pages out of my textbook, did a bunch of mini bios on important people from the reading, did a map, and added some dates to my timeline. That was everything I had wanted to get done for the week. For math, I was supposed to do five lessons, but only did three. Also, in science, I did two of the three I had hoped to do. In Spanish, I got almost all of it done, and in Latin, I only did about half a week's worth.
So, school didn't go too well, but I need to make some allowances. This was certainly the busiest week of the school year so far, and I was feeling pretty crappy for a lot of it. On that note, here is the promised Life Update:
Life Update
On Monday, I felt terrible, and skipped dance, though I did still volunteer at the library (mostly because I was able to choose tasks where I could sit the whole time. In dance, that's not really an option).
Tuesday, we hosted the current events discussion group, where we talked about (and voted on) many of the local ballot issues this election.
Wednesday, I went to park day, and got to see a friend I don't see too much any more, as well as her new puppy.
Thursday, I was feeling somewhat better, and I spent the afternoon at a friend's house, helping them decorate from their annual Halloween party. The family has two boys about the age of my sister and I, and we split into teams, Isabelle with the younger boy, and I was with the older. I may need to go back before the 31st though, since the project we were working on (which is a HUGE project) was not done when I left, and I think they might need help finishing. I'd say what it is, but I know some friends of mine read here, and I don't want to ruin the surprise before the party. :)
Friday, I went with some friends to the Washington State corn maze, which was amazing. It is 12 acres, and in the shape of WA. All the paths through it are major highways. We had maps, and went around looking for landmarks, which all had mini versions in the corn maze. We found the Grand Cooley Dam, the Space Needle, and the Peace Arch. Almost every town had a sign, and we found many, including Bellingham, Ferndale, Blaine, Concrete, Mt. Vernon, and many more on the East Side.
Saturday (yesterday), my Mom and I went to see the Joy Luck Club at a local theater. It was an amazing performance, and very true to the book.
Today is my sister's 12th birthday, and we are rushing around trying to prepare for all the celebrations, and to host choir at our house this afternoon as well!
So, that's why I didn't too much school done. I mostly feel better now, though there is a pesky cough that doesn't want to go away.
School Stuff
School didn't go super well this week. With being sick and busy, a lot didn't get done. In history, I read 20 pages out of my textbook, did a bunch of mini bios on important people from the reading, did a map, and added some dates to my timeline. That was everything I had wanted to get done for the week. For math, I was supposed to do five lessons, but only did three. Also, in science, I did two of the three I had hoped to do. In Spanish, I got almost all of it done, and in Latin, I only did about half a week's worth.
So, school didn't go too well, but I need to make some allowances. This was certainly the busiest week of the school year so far, and I was feeling pretty crappy for a lot of it. On that note, here is the promised Life Update:
Life Update
On Monday, I felt terrible, and skipped dance, though I did still volunteer at the library (mostly because I was able to choose tasks where I could sit the whole time. In dance, that's not really an option).
Tuesday, we hosted the current events discussion group, where we talked about (and voted on) many of the local ballot issues this election.
Wednesday, I went to park day, and got to see a friend I don't see too much any more, as well as her new puppy.
Thursday, I was feeling somewhat better, and I spent the afternoon at a friend's house, helping them decorate from their annual Halloween party. The family has two boys about the age of my sister and I, and we split into teams, Isabelle with the younger boy, and I was with the older. I may need to go back before the 31st though, since the project we were working on (which is a HUGE project) was not done when I left, and I think they might need help finishing. I'd say what it is, but I know some friends of mine read here, and I don't want to ruin the surprise before the party. :)
Friday, I went with some friends to the Washington State corn maze, which was amazing. It is 12 acres, and in the shape of WA. All the paths through it are major highways. We had maps, and went around looking for landmarks, which all had mini versions in the corn maze. We found the Grand Cooley Dam, the Space Needle, and the Peace Arch. Almost every town had a sign, and we found many, including Bellingham, Ferndale, Blaine, Concrete, Mt. Vernon, and many more on the East Side.
Saturday (yesterday), my Mom and I went to see the Joy Luck Club at a local theater. It was an amazing performance, and very true to the book.
Today is my sister's 12th birthday, and we are rushing around trying to prepare for all the celebrations, and to host choir at our house this afternoon as well!
So, that's why I didn't too much school done. I mostly feel better now, though there is a pesky cough that doesn't want to go away.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell {book review}
Today I am reviewing Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
. This book is by the same author as the rather controversial Eleanor and Park (read my review here, and my discussion of it's censorship here), but is, in my opinion, even better.
Summary
In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.
Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
My Review
Wow, that was a really long plot summary (I just grabbed it off of the amazon page)! Let's start with the characters. This book had some really good, really complicated characters. Cath, Reagen, Levi, and eventually Wren, are all characters with multiple layers. You think you know them, and what they would do, and then you suddenly realize you don't. These characters were all great, and very human.
The plot was enjoyable. For a lot of the book I wasn't sure what direction it was heading. Was it going to be an Eleanor and Park like romance, an Ellen Hopkins like book about dealing with mental illness (I know that Rainbow Rowell and Ellen Hopkins aren't even slightly comparable, but I was thinking that it would end up being about how she gives up everything to take care of her dad and sister)? In the end, it didn't really fit any of the stereotypes. It made a new catergory, one without a name. One with fanfiction (an almost taboo topic in most teen lit), romance, difficult parental and sibling relationships, and other very real issues being dealt with be a very real teenage girl.
The writing was fantastic. I love Rainbow Rowell's writing. This was where I thought this book really surpassed Eleanor and Park. While the 1st person naration switching between characters is popular, and works fine, I liked that this book didn't do that. Having a third person book with is all on one character was a bit refreshing. It makes the book feel more personal. Also, one thing that people complain a lot about with Eleanor and Park is the swearing. There is a lot. While it didn't really bother me, I did sometimes feel that it was overused. I have no problem with well placed swear words intended to make a point, but an f-bomb every few lines can get annoying. This book really used swearing in a believable, efficient manner.
I think the reason I liked this book so much was because I related to Cath right off the bat, which rarely happens to me with teen books. While I don't have her family situation, I do have one that can feel very tricky to navigate at times. While I don't write fanfiction, I do read it (I used to read it all the time, but now I just read the one my friend writes, which I am in), and I understand the culture around it pretty well. Her fears, concerns, and anxiety about college, and relationships is something I can directly relate to. In some ways, I see my future self when I read this book.
Who Should Read It?
I'm going to give this book a very high recommendation. If you are into fanfiction, you should really read this book. There is mild swearing, some drinking, and some sex, so if that bothers you, be warned. It is all quite mild though, especially compared to several of the books I have reviewed on here recently, including other books by the same author.
I'm almost done with A Game of Thrones (finally!), so expect a review soon. I also just got Smoke, the new Ellen Hopkins book, from the library, and I am super excited. I first started reading her books right before Fallout came out, and since then, I am always looking forward to her next one! This is the sequel to Burned, which honestly I never expected to happen, so expect a review of that in the next few weeks. Also, I'll be posting a final NaNoprep post this weekend.
Sorry for the crazy long post! If you made it all this way, give me some book suggestions in the comments! What would you like me to review? If I've read it, I'll write something up, if I haven't, I'll put it on hold at the library.
*This post contains affiliate links.
. This book is by the same author as the rather controversial Eleanor and Park (read my review here, and my discussion of it's censorship here), but is, in my opinion, even better.Summary
In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.
Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
My Review
Wow, that was a really long plot summary (I just grabbed it off of the amazon page)! Let's start with the characters. This book had some really good, really complicated characters. Cath, Reagen, Levi, and eventually Wren, are all characters with multiple layers. You think you know them, and what they would do, and then you suddenly realize you don't. These characters were all great, and very human.
The plot was enjoyable. For a lot of the book I wasn't sure what direction it was heading. Was it going to be an Eleanor and Park like romance, an Ellen Hopkins like book about dealing with mental illness (I know that Rainbow Rowell and Ellen Hopkins aren't even slightly comparable, but I was thinking that it would end up being about how she gives up everything to take care of her dad and sister)? In the end, it didn't really fit any of the stereotypes. It made a new catergory, one without a name. One with fanfiction (an almost taboo topic in most teen lit), romance, difficult parental and sibling relationships, and other very real issues being dealt with be a very real teenage girl.
The writing was fantastic. I love Rainbow Rowell's writing. This was where I thought this book really surpassed Eleanor and Park. While the 1st person naration switching between characters is popular, and works fine, I liked that this book didn't do that. Having a third person book with is all on one character was a bit refreshing. It makes the book feel more personal. Also, one thing that people complain a lot about with Eleanor and Park is the swearing. There is a lot. While it didn't really bother me, I did sometimes feel that it was overused. I have no problem with well placed swear words intended to make a point, but an f-bomb every few lines can get annoying. This book really used swearing in a believable, efficient manner.
I think the reason I liked this book so much was because I related to Cath right off the bat, which rarely happens to me with teen books. While I don't have her family situation, I do have one that can feel very tricky to navigate at times. While I don't write fanfiction, I do read it (I used to read it all the time, but now I just read the one my friend writes, which I am in), and I understand the culture around it pretty well. Her fears, concerns, and anxiety about college, and relationships is something I can directly relate to. In some ways, I see my future self when I read this book.
Who Should Read It?
I'm going to give this book a very high recommendation. If you are into fanfiction, you should really read this book. There is mild swearing, some drinking, and some sex, so if that bothers you, be warned. It is all quite mild though, especially compared to several of the books I have reviewed on here recently, including other books by the same author.
I'm almost done with A Game of Thrones (finally!), so expect a review soon. I also just got Smoke, the new Ellen Hopkins book, from the library, and I am super excited. I first started reading her books right before Fallout came out, and since then, I am always looking forward to her next one! This is the sequel to Burned, which honestly I never expected to happen, so expect a review of that in the next few weeks. Also, I'll be posting a final NaNoprep post this weekend.
Sorry for the crazy long post! If you made it all this way, give me some book suggestions in the comments! What would you like me to review? If I've read it, I'll write something up, if I haven't, I'll put it on hold at the library.
*This post contains affiliate links.
Monday, October 21, 2013
NaNo Gear!
No time for a real post today, since I have tons of work to do (and I'm still not feeling great), but look what came in the mail this afternoon!
So excited! Now I'm ready to write!
Friday, October 18, 2013
Homeschool Fridays: October 14-18, 2013 {Week 7}
It's Friday again, and that means it's time for another school update. I have mixed feeling about how this week went as a whole, but I think it didn't go too badly, school wise. I have been feeling pretty icky for a lot of the week, so that has not helped my productivity in general. I've had a lot of chest congestion for several weeks, and a runny nose for about a week. Over the past few days, my eyes have gotten really sore, and I've developed a headache and a sore throat. I was originally thinking allergies, but maybe it was just a really long start to a cold? Time will tell, I suppose.
Anyway, back to school. Here is the breakdown:
History
I don't feel like I did super well with history this week. I have read a really long section out of my textbook about Byzantium, and I did a bunch of those little mini bio things I've talked about before. I was also supposed to do a map of the Kiev Rus in the early middle ages, but I did not do that. It shouldn't take very long though, so I'm hoping to do that after I finish writing here.
Earth Science
I finished the chapter on renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, and started the one of plate tectonics. I only got two sections done, though I was hoping to do three.
English and Rhetoric
In English, I finished the chapter on verbs. In Rhetoric, the chapter wasn't all that long in terms of the number of pages to read, or exercises to do, but the exercises were all quite long and involved a lot of research and writing, which is partly why I only finished about half of it.
Spanish
In Spanish this week, I have had to find more time to work on it with my mom, since it is really focusing on having simple conversations, and learning conversational language.
Math
I'm not thrilled with how I did in math this week. I was supposed to completely finish the chapter on quadratic equations yesterday, and then take the test today, but I only got through three of the lessons for this week.
So there you have it. I ended up with a small amount left over in each subject, but I think I need to realize that some weeks are just going to end up like this. Overall this year, I've done relatively well, especially considering I do have a pretty heavy workload. I should be able to absorb this work back into the schedule, so long as every week isn't like this. :)
Anyway, back to school. Here is the breakdown:
History
I don't feel like I did super well with history this week. I have read a really long section out of my textbook about Byzantium, and I did a bunch of those little mini bio things I've talked about before. I was also supposed to do a map of the Kiev Rus in the early middle ages, but I did not do that. It shouldn't take very long though, so I'm hoping to do that after I finish writing here.
Earth Science
I finished the chapter on renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, and started the one of plate tectonics. I only got two sections done, though I was hoping to do three.
English and Rhetoric
In English, I finished the chapter on verbs. In Rhetoric, the chapter wasn't all that long in terms of the number of pages to read, or exercises to do, but the exercises were all quite long and involved a lot of research and writing, which is partly why I only finished about half of it.
Spanish
In Spanish this week, I have had to find more time to work on it with my mom, since it is really focusing on having simple conversations, and learning conversational language.
Math
I'm not thrilled with how I did in math this week. I was supposed to completely finish the chapter on quadratic equations yesterday, and then take the test today, but I only got through three of the lessons for this week.
So there you have it. I ended up with a small amount left over in each subject, but I think I need to realize that some weeks are just going to end up like this. Overall this year, I've done relatively well, especially considering I do have a pretty heavy workload. I should be able to absorb this work back into the schedule, so long as every week isn't like this. :)
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Freelance Writing Guide by Christine Rice {Book Review}
Today I am reviewing Freelance Writing Guide: What to Expect in Your First Year as a Freelance Writer
by Christine Rice. To preface this review, I am not a freelance writer, and I don't think I will be in the future (though I'm not going to close any doors), so my thoughts on this book are from the experience of an uninformed reader.
This book is short, and to the point. It does not mess around with long introductions and personal stories, but instead gets straight to the information promised. For this reason, I think this ebook makes a good reference book. While I did read it straight through, you certainly don't need to. If you want to know more about the details of ghostwriting, or if you want advice on writing a good cover letter for your resume, you could go to that page, and read just that section.
I was impressed with the mixture of practical and personal advice. While I said above that she doesn't spend a lot of time on personal stories, and this is true, she always will say what her personal experience was in the situation she is discussing. For example, when talking about payment types, and levels of pay in various jobs, she discusses each one in an objective, but familiar manner.
My final verdict is that I found many parts of this book to be very useful, and even though I don't see freelance writing in my future at the moment, there are still sections of this book that I found useful, and that I expect I will find myself referring to.
If freelance writing is something you are thinking about delving into, but have not yet made the final decision, this book will be useful in helping you make a smart, informed decision. And, as I said before, even if you are not a freelance writer, but if you would like a good reference material on things like resume writing for the writing industry, or managing and monetizing a professional blog, I would recommend this book.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
*This post contains affiliate links.
by Christine Rice. To preface this review, I am not a freelance writer, and I don't think I will be in the future (though I'm not going to close any doors), so my thoughts on this book are from the experience of an uninformed reader.This book is short, and to the point. It does not mess around with long introductions and personal stories, but instead gets straight to the information promised. For this reason, I think this ebook makes a good reference book. While I did read it straight through, you certainly don't need to. If you want to know more about the details of ghostwriting, or if you want advice on writing a good cover letter for your resume, you could go to that page, and read just that section.
I was impressed with the mixture of practical and personal advice. While I said above that she doesn't spend a lot of time on personal stories, and this is true, she always will say what her personal experience was in the situation she is discussing. For example, when talking about payment types, and levels of pay in various jobs, she discusses each one in an objective, but familiar manner.
My final verdict is that I found many parts of this book to be very useful, and even though I don't see freelance writing in my future at the moment, there are still sections of this book that I found useful, and that I expect I will find myself referring to.
If freelance writing is something you are thinking about delving into, but have not yet made the final decision, this book will be useful in helping you make a smart, informed decision. And, as I said before, even if you are not a freelance writer, but if you would like a good reference material on things like resume writing for the writing industry, or managing and monetizing a professional blog, I would recommend this book.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
*This post contains affiliate links.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
My Favorite Things: TV Shows
I talk a lot about books on here, but reading isn't the only thing I do. I thought that today, I'd share a list of my favorite TV shows, both ones that are currently airing, and ones from the past. It will be divided into a few sections. No spoilers, I promise.
Shows I'm Currently Watching
1. Once Upon A Time. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the first season, and am happy with it so far. I'll admit I was pretty excited to see Emilie de Raven as Belle, who is in two other shows on this list. :)
Here is Belle:
2. Lost. Sorry, I'm not going to find a picture for this one, because I am way too scared of spoilers. I am half way through Season 4, and do NOT want any of it spoiled. Emilie de Raven played Claire here.
Well, here is one of Claire and Aaron.
3. Downton Abbey. I love Downton Abbey, but I'm finding Season 4 a little painful (don't worry, no spoilers here) so far. I just watched the fourth episode, and my heart goes out to poor Anna. :'(
Shows I've Seen in the Past
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I'm a huge Buffy fan.
5. Angel. This goes along with the previous show.
6. Sherlock. I didn't put this under currently watching since I'm technically not watching it, I'm just waiting for the next season to come out!
Some Other Good Shows
These shows are ones I really liked, but would not say I absolutely loved.
7. Eureka. This show is a lot of fun. I didn't love the first season, but they get better. The last season is a bit of a roller coaster, though.
8. Roswell. This has an honorary spot on this list, as it is really the first show that I watched all the way through. It's also the first time I saw Emilie de Raven, who here plays Tess, the character you love to hate.
I know Tess was in the one above, but here's one with just her:
And one just for fun. If you haven't watched the show, then sorry, you probably won't get this:
Shows I'm Currently Watching
1. Once Upon A Time. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the first season, and am happy with it so far. I'll admit I was pretty excited to see Emilie de Raven as Belle, who is in two other shows on this list. :)
Here is Belle:
2. Lost. Sorry, I'm not going to find a picture for this one, because I am way too scared of spoilers. I am half way through Season 4, and do NOT want any of it spoiled. Emilie de Raven played Claire here.
Well, here is one of Claire and Aaron.
3. Downton Abbey. I love Downton Abbey, but I'm finding Season 4 a little painful (don't worry, no spoilers here) so far. I just watched the fourth episode, and my heart goes out to poor Anna. :'(
 |
| Here is an image from Season 1 or 2. I loved their clothes in the early years! |
Shows I've Seen in the Past
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I'm a huge Buffy fan.
5. Angel. This goes along with the previous show.
6. Sherlock. I didn't put this under currently watching since I'm technically not watching it, I'm just waiting for the next season to come out!
Some Other Good Shows
These shows are ones I really liked, but would not say I absolutely loved.
7. Eureka. This show is a lot of fun. I didn't love the first season, but they get better. The last season is a bit of a roller coaster, though.
 |
| There were better pictures from later seasons, but Nathan Stark is in this one! :) |
8. Roswell. This has an honorary spot on this list, as it is really the first show that I watched all the way through. It's also the first time I saw Emilie de Raven, who here plays Tess, the character you love to hate.
I know Tess was in the one above, but here's one with just her:
And one just for fun. If you haven't watched the show, then sorry, you probably won't get this:
| I want this! lol |
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Homeschool Blog Awards and Movie Excitment
There has been a button on my sidebar for the past few weeks to the Homeschool Blog Awards, and nominations are now open. This year, there are 20 categories, and one blog will make the number one spot in each category after a public vote. Voting starts in November, but to even make it to the voting round, you have to first be nominated. If you like my blog, and think that I might be the best homeschool blog you read, I would love it if you would take a few minutes to nominate me.
To do that, click this link, and then click on the big button on the top of the page. The form is very long, and you can nominate a different blog for each category if you like. The ones that I qualify for are Best Teen Homeschool Blog, and Best New Homeschool blog. Nomination ends on October 21.
I know it can be annoying when blogs are constantly asking you to vote for them, or to nominate them for things, so I won't bother you. Other than this, I'll only mention it once more, when voting begins. I'll let you know if I made it to the voting round, and if I did, how you can vote for me.
The other thing I wanted to blog about today is all the movies coming out soon. There are so many YA book adaptations coming out, some of which I'm super excited for, and others that worry me. Here is a list:
1. Ender's Game. I've been heard too much hype about this to possibly not see it. It's a struggle with every book I love that has been made into a movie: see it, or skip it? I think my choice here was made a year and a half ago, when I was at a friend's house, and I heard that the Ender's Game movie was going to be a real thing. I'm definitely going to see it, and hopefully with some friends.
2. Catching Fire. Yeah, I'll see it. I have a lot of mixed feeling about the Hunger Games triliogy, which really deserve a post of their own.
3. The Maze Runner. I don't really know what to think about this one, but since I liked the book so much, I do want to see it.
4. Divergent. I know we've got a while to go for this one, but I will definetly see it.
5. The Fault in our Stars. Ditto. I've seen way too many pictures and videos from set to not see it now.
6. The Spectacular Now. I know this one has actually been out for a while already, but I really want to see it, since I really loved the book.
That's my quick list for the day. Are you planning on seeing any of these movies?
To do that, click this link, and then click on the big button on the top of the page. The form is very long, and you can nominate a different blog for each category if you like. The ones that I qualify for are Best Teen Homeschool Blog, and Best New Homeschool blog. Nomination ends on October 21.
I know it can be annoying when blogs are constantly asking you to vote for them, or to nominate them for things, so I won't bother you. Other than this, I'll only mention it once more, when voting begins. I'll let you know if I made it to the voting round, and if I did, how you can vote for me.
The other thing I wanted to blog about today is all the movies coming out soon. There are so many YA book adaptations coming out, some of which I'm super excited for, and others that worry me. Here is a list:
1. Ender's Game. I've been heard too much hype about this to possibly not see it. It's a struggle with every book I love that has been made into a movie: see it, or skip it? I think my choice here was made a year and a half ago, when I was at a friend's house, and I heard that the Ender's Game movie was going to be a real thing. I'm definitely going to see it, and hopefully with some friends.
2. Catching Fire. Yeah, I'll see it. I have a lot of mixed feeling about the Hunger Games triliogy, which really deserve a post of their own.
3. The Maze Runner. I don't really know what to think about this one, but since I liked the book so much, I do want to see it.
4. Divergent. I know we've got a while to go for this one, but I will definetly see it.
5. The Fault in our Stars. Ditto. I've seen way too many pictures and videos from set to not see it now.
6. The Spectacular Now. I know this one has actually been out for a while already, but I really want to see it, since I really loved the book.
That's my quick list for the day. Are you planning on seeing any of these movies?
Monday, October 14, 2013
A Life Update
I haven't done one of these in a while! I've been pretty busy lately, and I haven't had time to sit down an write up one of these in several months.
School is going pretty well, though you already know that, since school is the one part of life I manage to consistently blog about. :) Here are some other random things I have been doing and thinking about lately.
1. Our little homeschool choir just started up again, and I am really excited. This Sunday, we started working on our first song, The First Nowell, and I thought it went amazingly well. I moved from the Altos to the Tenors this time around, and I am really happy with the switch. While I can sing both parts, singing alto was often a strain for me.
2. Emma Approved just started!!! I loved, loved, loved The Lizzie Bennett Diaries last year, and I'm thrilled that they are keeping going with the idea. Unlike with Pride and Prejudice, I am not familiar with the story of Emma, which is a bit exciting. I actually don't know what is going to happen this time around!
3. November is coming very quickly, and I am trying to get prepared. Mainly, I am writing 750 words every day (750words.com is what I use. It is no longer free after the first month, though I was grandfathered with a life time free account in since I was using it before it went to pay only)to get myself back into the habit of writing.
4. Halloween is coming just as quickly, and I am trying to get the last of my Sam (LOTR) costume together. I still need pants, a backpack/sack, and to decide what to do about the feet. Since there is a group of us being the Fellowship, us four hobbits kind of need to be in agreement about how to handle the feet. Some people are saying just go barefoot, but since we will probably walking around outside quite a bit, I'm not fond of that idea.
5. I'm about half way through the Joy Luck Club, which is this month's World Lit book. So far, I am really liking it.
That's about it for now. I don't have time to do a longer post today, so this is it. I'll try to come back tomorrow with a sponsored book review!
School is going pretty well, though you already know that, since school is the one part of life I manage to consistently blog about. :) Here are some other random things I have been doing and thinking about lately.
1. Our little homeschool choir just started up again, and I am really excited. This Sunday, we started working on our first song, The First Nowell, and I thought it went amazingly well. I moved from the Altos to the Tenors this time around, and I am really happy with the switch. While I can sing both parts, singing alto was often a strain for me.
2. Emma Approved just started!!! I loved, loved, loved The Lizzie Bennett Diaries last year, and I'm thrilled that they are keeping going with the idea. Unlike with Pride and Prejudice, I am not familiar with the story of Emma, which is a bit exciting. I actually don't know what is going to happen this time around!
3. November is coming very quickly, and I am trying to get prepared. Mainly, I am writing 750 words every day (750words.com is what I use. It is no longer free after the first month, though I was grandfathered with a life time free account in since I was using it before it went to pay only)to get myself back into the habit of writing.
4. Halloween is coming just as quickly, and I am trying to get the last of my Sam (LOTR) costume together. I still need pants, a backpack/sack, and to decide what to do about the feet. Since there is a group of us being the Fellowship, us four hobbits kind of need to be in agreement about how to handle the feet. Some people are saying just go barefoot, but since we will probably walking around outside quite a bit, I'm not fond of that idea.
5. I'm about half way through the Joy Luck Club, which is this month's World Lit book. So far, I am really liking it.
That's about it for now. I don't have time to do a longer post today, so this is it. I'll try to come back tomorrow with a sponsored book review!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Homeschool Fridays: October 7-11 2013 {Week 6}
I'm sorry this post is late two weeks in a row. Today, I really do not have a good excuse.
History
This week for history, I did more of those mini bios that I did a bunch of last week (and will be doing more of next week). I did a worksheet on the spread of Islam in the early middle ages, and I wrote a couple of paragraphs on the differences between Sunni and Shiite muslims, both in the middle ages, and today. I was also supposed to read another chapter out of my textbook on Byzantium, but I did not get to that. Luckily, it was the only thing I was supposed to do this week that I didn't get it in all my subjects. :)
Science
In Earth Science this week, I finished up the chapter on rocks, and then moved into the chapter on energy sources. The last section of the week had to do with unrenewable energy sources (oil, natural gas, coal, ect.).
Math and English
In math, I finished up the chapter on roots, and started the one on quadratic equations. I have done all of this before when I did Life of Fred Advanced Algebra, but since I started back at the beginning when we switched to Teaching Textbooks, I have been doing a lot of review. In English, I continued through the section on verbs, nothing really new or interesting there.
Spanish and Rhetoric
In Spanish, I finally started moving out of number, and began learning the months and days of the week. I am finally nearing the end of this introductory, conversational chapter, and will be moving into some actual grammar and vocab soon. In Rhetoric, I just continued through the section I was in.
Other Stuff
I got a start on blogging for November this week. I want to make sure there are posts going up, but I'll be too busy with NaNoWriMo to do a lot of blogging, so other then two update posts a week, the rest will have been written ahead of time. I also wanted to do some editing this week, and while I did get some done, it was not as much as I would have liked.
All right, that's it for this week. I have cleaning to do, and a Halloween costume to try to finish. Does anyone know where you could find some rather authentic looking hobbit pants? And what to do about the feet...
History
This week for history, I did more of those mini bios that I did a bunch of last week (and will be doing more of next week). I did a worksheet on the spread of Islam in the early middle ages, and I wrote a couple of paragraphs on the differences between Sunni and Shiite muslims, both in the middle ages, and today. I was also supposed to read another chapter out of my textbook on Byzantium, but I did not get to that. Luckily, it was the only thing I was supposed to do this week that I didn't get it in all my subjects. :)
Science
In Earth Science this week, I finished up the chapter on rocks, and then moved into the chapter on energy sources. The last section of the week had to do with unrenewable energy sources (oil, natural gas, coal, ect.).
Math and English
In math, I finished up the chapter on roots, and started the one on quadratic equations. I have done all of this before when I did Life of Fred Advanced Algebra, but since I started back at the beginning when we switched to Teaching Textbooks, I have been doing a lot of review. In English, I continued through the section on verbs, nothing really new or interesting there.
Spanish and Rhetoric
In Spanish, I finally started moving out of number, and began learning the months and days of the week. I am finally nearing the end of this introductory, conversational chapter, and will be moving into some actual grammar and vocab soon. In Rhetoric, I just continued through the section I was in.
Other Stuff
I got a start on blogging for November this week. I want to make sure there are posts going up, but I'll be too busy with NaNoWriMo to do a lot of blogging, so other then two update posts a week, the rest will have been written ahead of time. I also wanted to do some editing this week, and while I did get some done, it was not as much as I would have liked.
All right, that's it for this week. I have cleaning to do, and a Halloween costume to try to finish. Does anyone know where you could find some rather authentic looking hobbit pants? And what to do about the feet...
Friday, October 11, 2013
Cory Montieth
Three months ago, I read on the news that Cory Monteith had been found dead in a hotel room in a city an hour from my house. I was surprised, but in the end, it really didn't make a difference in my life whether he was dead or alive. I don't even watch Glee, though my mom does.
For the next week or two, the headlines on Google News were all about Cory Monteith, and Lea Michelle. There were stories about what he'd been doing that night, about his childhood, about Lea Michelle, and how she was coping, and sooner or later, articles about what Glee would do without him. The spotlight stayed on him until Kate Middleton went into labor several weeks later.
He is not the only celebrity to have died in the past few months. E.L. Konigsburg, Tom Clancy, and Seamus Heaney all died this year as well. For me, all these deaths were sad, but not so immediate, not so sensationalized.
So why all the attention? Why do we care so much?
Because Cory Monteith was 31 years old when he died, and because he is immortalized in Glee as a high school student. For me, his death was a shock for a few reasons. One was because I knew who he was. I have several episodes of Glee, and many other videos and clips from it.
The other reason is because he was so young. It was one of the first times when I felt like a celebrity who I know of well died who was around my age. It is true that he is sixteen years older then me (almost exactly, I looked up his age and saw that his birthday is the day before mine), and so not really all that close in age. But, he is in the generation that gets pushed together with mine. According to TIME magazine, the Millennials are the generation stretching from 1980 to 2000. I managed to just make it in with a few years to spare.
I think what is really is for me is that he was part of a group of celebrities that became famous in my memory. He is not one of the many actors and actresses who have been famous for longer then I can remember, probably longer then I have been alive. While I didn't regularly watch Cory Monteith in anything, or really even care about him that much, he is part of a phenomenon that came to be in my memory.
Today, when I watched a short clip of last night's memorial episode of Glee, it reminded me of this, and made my think about why I was so surprised. It was because he was young, and it was also because he was never able to defeat his demons. We all have our issues, some of us have worse ones then others, and his killed him in the end. It's hard to realize that our choices may come back to haunt us, and that there are some choices that are nearly impossible to unmake.
Sorry if this post was a bit random. I have been meaning to write a more organized version of this since July, but never got around to it. I'll probably put up another post today, this week's Homeschool Friday post, so look for that this afternoon or evening.
For the next week or two, the headlines on Google News were all about Cory Monteith, and Lea Michelle. There were stories about what he'd been doing that night, about his childhood, about Lea Michelle, and how she was coping, and sooner or later, articles about what Glee would do without him. The spotlight stayed on him until Kate Middleton went into labor several weeks later.
He is not the only celebrity to have died in the past few months. E.L. Konigsburg, Tom Clancy, and Seamus Heaney all died this year as well. For me, all these deaths were sad, but not so immediate, not so sensationalized.
So why all the attention? Why do we care so much?
Because Cory Monteith was 31 years old when he died, and because he is immortalized in Glee as a high school student. For me, his death was a shock for a few reasons. One was because I knew who he was. I have several episodes of Glee, and many other videos and clips from it.
The other reason is because he was so young. It was one of the first times when I felt like a celebrity who I know of well died who was around my age. It is true that he is sixteen years older then me (almost exactly, I looked up his age and saw that his birthday is the day before mine), and so not really all that close in age. But, he is in the generation that gets pushed together with mine. According to TIME magazine, the Millennials are the generation stretching from 1980 to 2000. I managed to just make it in with a few years to spare.
I think what is really is for me is that he was part of a group of celebrities that became famous in my memory. He is not one of the many actors and actresses who have been famous for longer then I can remember, probably longer then I have been alive. While I didn't regularly watch Cory Monteith in anything, or really even care about him that much, he is part of a phenomenon that came to be in my memory.
Today, when I watched a short clip of last night's memorial episode of Glee, it reminded me of this, and made my think about why I was so surprised. It was because he was young, and it was also because he was never able to defeat his demons. We all have our issues, some of us have worse ones then others, and his killed him in the end. It's hard to realize that our choices may come back to haunt us, and that there are some choices that are nearly impossible to unmake.
Sorry if this post was a bit random. I have been meaning to write a more organized version of this since July, but never got around to it. I'll probably put up another post today, this week's Homeschool Friday post, so look for that this afternoon or evening.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
The Government Shutdown
On Monday, our new current events class met for the first time to discuss the government shutdown. There was a little discussion, a lot of listening, and a lot of background information about the shutdown.
I am a news junkie, as my mother calls me, and as such, I like to know what's going on in world, especially when it is going to effect me or people I know. Over the past ten days of the shutdown, I've heard a lot about it, through various sources. This all came in handy when the dad who is running the class asked us all to email him our guesses about when the government would reopen, and how.
I'll admit that since I told him my guess, I've been watching the news even more carefully to see if I'll be right. So far, I'm thinking I could get lucky. I guessed that the government would reopen on Friday the 11th (that's tomorrow!), and it is looking like things might be headed in that direction at the moment, though we will see soon enough. I could still be totally wrong.
If it does reopen, I'll get an email notification from NPR (as I do with any major news event), and I'm sure I'll see it on Google News pretty quickly as well. If it happens in the morning (before 8sih, PDT), I'll hear about it on NPR. Sometimes I think maybe I'm connected to a few too many news sources. :) Oh, and within a day (maybe less), I'm sure SourceFed will have a video about it too. You can never have too much news...
I am a news junkie, as my mother calls me, and as such, I like to know what's going on in world, especially when it is going to effect me or people I know. Over the past ten days of the shutdown, I've heard a lot about it, through various sources. This all came in handy when the dad who is running the class asked us all to email him our guesses about when the government would reopen, and how.
I'll admit that since I told him my guess, I've been watching the news even more carefully to see if I'll be right. So far, I'm thinking I could get lucky. I guessed that the government would reopen on Friday the 11th (that's tomorrow!), and it is looking like things might be headed in that direction at the moment, though we will see soon enough. I could still be totally wrong.
If it does reopen, I'll get an email notification from NPR (as I do with any major news event), and I'm sure I'll see it on Google News pretty quickly as well. If it happens in the morning (before 8sih, PDT), I'll hear about it on NPR. Sometimes I think maybe I'm connected to a few too many news sources. :) Oh, and within a day (maybe less), I'm sure SourceFed will have a video about it too. You can never have too much news...
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
The Spectacular Now - Tim Tharp {Book Review}
Today, I am reviewing The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp
. I really liked this book, and I am excited to share my thoughts with you. If you have read this book, I would love to know what you thought of it!
Amazon Description
SUTTER KEELY. HE’S the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He'll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.
Until the morning he wakes up on a random front lawn, and he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. Aimee is a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time and then let her go forth and prosper. But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever.
My Review
I thought the writing in this book was completely amazing. Sutter's voice felt so authentic, and real. I honestly believed at times that I could be inside his head. It was written in such a way that even though you experience everything directly from Sutter's experience.
The plot of this book was almost painful at times. It was good, it was real, but was hard to read at times, especially as it gone on towards the end. The number one thing I have to say about this book is that when you finish it, you will feel a little empty, and a little (or maybe a lot) sad, and realize that whatever else this book was, it was 100% honest. I never felt that any character did anything out of character. They were real, and honest, even when it hurt.
The characters were really good as well. Sutter was a train wreck you just can't look away from. Aimee was so sweet, all the way to the end. You just can't help but hope for all her dreams to come true. Cassidy was a very three dimensional character who really made me pause and think a few times. I don't have a lot more to say here.
I feel like I should touch briefly on the ending, though, don't worry, no big spoilers here. If you are really worried, skip to the next section. The ending reminded me a lot of Eleanor and Park's ending. I hoped it wouldn't happen, but I kind of secretly always knew it would. Beyond that part of the ending though, I can't help but feel that it could not have been more true to real life, as hard as that can be to accept at times. I think the end of this book could be used in an ad to keep kids from drinking. To me, it was that kind of sadness that I felt. The inevitable, yet still painful kind. It was almost like Sutter was my best friend who's choices I had been trying to ignore, trusting that everything would work out fine, until suddenly I was forced to realize that it had gone too far, and it couldn't turn out fine. Okay, the next paragraph will have major spoilers, but I will put it in white, so you will have to select it to read it.
I really held out hope for Sutter and Aimee up until the very last page. It wasn't until then that I realized exactly what was going on. I think that maybe the author intended to make it feel ambiguous, but to me it did not. To me, it meant that Aimee had moved on (or been forced to), and Sutter was continuing down the path he had started down years before. I saw no hope for them as a couple, and honestly no hope for Sutter as a person. Aimee now had a whole life ahead of her she wouldn't have had without Sutter, so their time together wasn't for nothing, but at the same time, maybe it was best for her that it ended when it did. I don't think she had the ability to do for him what he had done for her.
Who Should Read This Book?
I would recommend this book to just about anyone, since I loved it so much. If you liked Eleanor and Park, by Rainbow Rowell, this has some similarities (and a lot of differences). If you are really sensitive about drinking, this is not the book for you, since that is really a main theme. In fact, I might even go so far as to call Sutter's alcohol problem a character that develops throughout the book. There is some sex and swearing, but not to what I would consider an abnormal amount for a book like this.
. I really liked this book, and I am excited to share my thoughts with you. If you have read this book, I would love to know what you thought of it!Amazon Description
SUTTER KEELY. HE’S the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He'll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.
Until the morning he wakes up on a random front lawn, and he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. Aimee is a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time and then let her go forth and prosper. But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever.
My Review
I thought the writing in this book was completely amazing. Sutter's voice felt so authentic, and real. I honestly believed at times that I could be inside his head. It was written in such a way that even though you experience everything directly from Sutter's experience.
The plot of this book was almost painful at times. It was good, it was real, but was hard to read at times, especially as it gone on towards the end. The number one thing I have to say about this book is that when you finish it, you will feel a little empty, and a little (or maybe a lot) sad, and realize that whatever else this book was, it was 100% honest. I never felt that any character did anything out of character. They were real, and honest, even when it hurt.
The characters were really good as well. Sutter was a train wreck you just can't look away from. Aimee was so sweet, all the way to the end. You just can't help but hope for all her dreams to come true. Cassidy was a very three dimensional character who really made me pause and think a few times. I don't have a lot more to say here.
I feel like I should touch briefly on the ending, though, don't worry, no big spoilers here. If you are really worried, skip to the next section. The ending reminded me a lot of Eleanor and Park's ending. I hoped it wouldn't happen, but I kind of secretly always knew it would. Beyond that part of the ending though, I can't help but feel that it could not have been more true to real life, as hard as that can be to accept at times. I think the end of this book could be used in an ad to keep kids from drinking. To me, it was that kind of sadness that I felt. The inevitable, yet still painful kind. It was almost like Sutter was my best friend who's choices I had been trying to ignore, trusting that everything would work out fine, until suddenly I was forced to realize that it had gone too far, and it couldn't turn out fine. Okay, the next paragraph will have major spoilers, but I will put it in white, so you will have to select it to read it.
I really held out hope for Sutter and Aimee up until the very last page. It wasn't until then that I realized exactly what was going on. I think that maybe the author intended to make it feel ambiguous, but to me it did not. To me, it meant that Aimee had moved on (or been forced to), and Sutter was continuing down the path he had started down years before. I saw no hope for them as a couple, and honestly no hope for Sutter as a person. Aimee now had a whole life ahead of her she wouldn't have had without Sutter, so their time together wasn't for nothing, but at the same time, maybe it was best for her that it ended when it did. I don't think she had the ability to do for him what he had done for her.
Who Should Read This Book?
I would recommend this book to just about anyone, since I loved it so much. If you liked Eleanor and Park, by Rainbow Rowell, this has some similarities (and a lot of differences). If you are really sensitive about drinking, this is not the book for you, since that is really a main theme. In fact, I might even go so far as to call Sutter's alcohol problem a character that develops throughout the book. There is some sex and swearing, but not to what I would consider an abnormal amount for a book like this.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Homeschool Friday: Sept. 30-Oct. 4, 2013 {Week 5}
I'm sorry this is a day late! My poor cat got cut claw cut a little too short yesterday morning, and I spent most of the rest of the morning trying to get her to sit in one place long enough to make sure the bleeding had totally stopped. Luckily, she is fine, though I lost several hours of my day cat wrestling, and later, cleaning many tiny drops of blood out of the tan carpet. I think they all came out, which is kind of amazing. Then my sister spent the evening watching a movie with our Dad at his place, so my mom and I watched Lost.
Anyway, all of that was to say, yesterday was kind of crazy, and I didn't get a chance to get this written until this morning.
History
In History this week, I did a lot of textbook reading about Islam and the Middle East in the 800-1100's. I also did a map about the spread of Islam through Europe and Asia during that same time period, I did mini bios on several of the people I had read about, and added a bunch of dates to my timeline. I was supposed to do more bios and add more timeline dates yesterday, but I did not get that done.
Science
For earth science this week, I was studying rocks. I did one day on an overview of rocks, and then on on igneous rocks. I did not get the last on of the week done, which I think was on metamorphic rocks.
Math and Spanish
With both of these subjects, I have just been continuing on without anything particularly new this week. The math lessons I did were on radicals and roots, while the Spanish was on learning the numbers 13 and up.
Rhetoric, English, and Vocabulary
For Rhetoric, I finally finished the chapter on definitions I have been working on for weeks. In English, I did more stuff on verbs, and I did a chapter in Vocab.
Other Stuff
This week also marks the beginning of a few discussion groups I have joined. Both are made up of local homeschool families, and one is being led by a homeschool dad. That one is a Current Events group that will meet twice a month, with the first day being next Monday. The topic this time is the government shutdown, and so I read some articles he suggested about it. Our new World Lit groups will also be meeting once a month, and October's book, which I started this week, is the The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
.
*This post contains affiliate links.
Anyway, all of that was to say, yesterday was kind of crazy, and I didn't get a chance to get this written until this morning.
History
In History this week, I did a lot of textbook reading about Islam and the Middle East in the 800-1100's. I also did a map about the spread of Islam through Europe and Asia during that same time period, I did mini bios on several of the people I had read about, and added a bunch of dates to my timeline. I was supposed to do more bios and add more timeline dates yesterday, but I did not get that done.
Science
For earth science this week, I was studying rocks. I did one day on an overview of rocks, and then on on igneous rocks. I did not get the last on of the week done, which I think was on metamorphic rocks.
Math and Spanish
With both of these subjects, I have just been continuing on without anything particularly new this week. The math lessons I did were on radicals and roots, while the Spanish was on learning the numbers 13 and up.
Rhetoric, English, and Vocabulary
For Rhetoric, I finally finished the chapter on definitions I have been working on for weeks. In English, I did more stuff on verbs, and I did a chapter in Vocab.
Other Stuff
This week also marks the beginning of a few discussion groups I have joined. Both are made up of local homeschool families, and one is being led by a homeschool dad. That one is a Current Events group that will meet twice a month, with the first day being next Monday. The topic this time is the government shutdown, and so I read some articles he suggested about it. Our new World Lit groups will also be meeting once a month, and October's book, which I started this week, is the The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
.*This post contains affiliate links.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
One Month In: A High School Update
I am now half way through the fifth week of the school year, and so it seems like an appropriate time to look back at the first month of 10th grade at talk about what worked and what didn't.
I'm also linking up with the October Let's Homeschool Highschool Bloghop, so check out all the other posts at the bottom of the page.
My main complaint about the first four weeks of school is that I did not get as much done as I would have liked in some subjects (history and math). This is something that I need to just not worry about. There were various personal struggles going on over this period of time that contributed to that, and those are not things within my control. What I can do is focus on scheduling, and getting things done in a timely manner to keep that from happening again.
One little kink that I have come to is that I have been having trouble completing that amount of school work I have to do in the time I have to do it in. Here is an example of why. On an average Tuesday, I would have this to do (to see what curriculum I'm referring to, click the 10th Grade Curriculum button in the header):
One History lesson: This might include reading 20 pages from my textbook
, and then summarizing or outlining it. It would take about an hour. Other lessons might be as little as 30 min, or as long as two hours.
One Math lesson: Watch a short video lesson, and do about 25 problems. Generally takes between 25 and 45 minutes.
Two Spanish exercises: Each one usually involves listening to something, and then either talking or writing. This would take about 20 minutes altogether.
One English lesson: This varies a lot, but usually takes between 15 and 45 minutes.
One Vocabulary exercise: This take five to ten minutes.
The problem lies in the large amount of variation in many of these lessons. It could take me anywhere from an hour and thirty five minutes to four hours.
I am slowly switching into an approach where instead of having a daily to do list where the lessons I need to do are listed out ( History 15, Math 33, English 68 ect.), I will do each subject for a period of time each day (1 hour History, 30 min. Math, 30 min English, ect.) In some cases, this will mean that I won't get a whole lesson done, and in other cases it might be a lesson and a half.
I am hoping that this will keep me from burning out part way through my work, and then getting behind. Maybe doing five lessons of History in a week isn't a reasonable goal. If that is my goal, and I only do four, that stresses me out, while if my goal is to do five hours of history, and I do five hours, then I will feel like I did what I needed to, whether that ended up being three lessons or six.
So, in some ways, this change is mainly for my sanity, but I have found that it can be very hard to work without it. :)
I'm also linking up with the October Let's Homeschool Highschool Bloghop, so check out all the other posts at the bottom of the page.
My main complaint about the first four weeks of school is that I did not get as much done as I would have liked in some subjects (history and math). This is something that I need to just not worry about. There were various personal struggles going on over this period of time that contributed to that, and those are not things within my control. What I can do is focus on scheduling, and getting things done in a timely manner to keep that from happening again.
One little kink that I have come to is that I have been having trouble completing that amount of school work I have to do in the time I have to do it in. Here is an example of why. On an average Tuesday, I would have this to do (to see what curriculum I'm referring to, click the 10th Grade Curriculum button in the header):
One History lesson: This might include reading 20 pages from my textbook
, and then summarizing or outlining it. It would take about an hour. Other lessons might be as little as 30 min, or as long as two hours.One Math lesson: Watch a short video lesson, and do about 25 problems. Generally takes between 25 and 45 minutes.
Two Spanish exercises: Each one usually involves listening to something, and then either talking or writing. This would take about 20 minutes altogether.
One English lesson: This varies a lot, but usually takes between 15 and 45 minutes.
One Vocabulary exercise: This take five to ten minutes.
The problem lies in the large amount of variation in many of these lessons. It could take me anywhere from an hour and thirty five minutes to four hours.
I am slowly switching into an approach where instead of having a daily to do list where the lessons I need to do are listed out ( History 15, Math 33, English 68 ect.), I will do each subject for a period of time each day (1 hour History, 30 min. Math, 30 min English, ect.) In some cases, this will mean that I won't get a whole lesson done, and in other cases it might be a lesson and a half.
I am hoping that this will keep me from burning out part way through my work, and then getting behind. Maybe doing five lessons of History in a week isn't a reasonable goal. If that is my goal, and I only do four, that stresses me out, while if my goal is to do five hours of history, and I do five hours, then I will feel like I did what I needed to, whether that ended up being three lessons or six.
So, in some ways, this change is mainly for my sanity, but I have found that it can be very hard to work without it. :)
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
A Painted House - John Grishom {Book Review}
Today, I am reviewing A Painted House by John Grishom
. I have pretty mixed, though positive feelings about this book, which should make for an interesting review. :)
Amazon.com Summary
The hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day. It was a Wednesday, early in September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with three weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist-high to my father, over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop."
Thus begins the new novel from John Grisham, a story inspired by his own childhood in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it.
For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will change the lives of the Chandlers forever.
A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience.
My Review
For me, characters can make or break a book, and in this one, they made it. Luke is a terrific narrator, and through his eyes, you come to meet many unique characters. This book has a lot of characters in it, and I was pretty impressed at how really human many of them were. There are several antagonists over the course of the book (one of them was not a person), but none were really hateable to me. You only experience life as Luke knows it, and so you find yourself experiencing some of the characters as you would if you were a child. I'm having a hard time explaining exactly what I liked so much about the characters, but they are truly the best part of the book in my opinion.
The plot was good, though I would say that it is the weak link in this book. There was a point about half way through were I found myself just getting a little bored. There is not really an overarking plot, but more of an ebb and flow, which is very realistic, but not always as gripping for the reader. In the end, I was pleased with the story, and was happy I stuck with it, but be warned, there are some moments where you may be tempted to leave it for something a little faster. The plot is enjoyable, and there are some exciting parts, but many of the early conflicts get resolved rather quickly, and the new ones do not come up right away.
The writing was very enjoyable. I really liked how if really felt like it was being narrated by 7 year old Luke, and that part never felt fake. I think it worked because it was written in an almost nostalgic style, and so it feels more like an adult remembering and describing what life was like the summer he was seven. This keeps it from feeling too young. Also because of this, you can appreciate the characters in a way the Luke might not, because you can see the motivations behind their actions that a seven year old could not. The writing is easy to read, and felt real (for 1950's Arkansas) without feeling like historical fiction, where dialects and trends are often over emphasized.
At the risk of being a little spoilery, I am going to say that the end made me inexplicably sad. I was happy for Luke (and particularly his mother), but at the same time, it made me sad, since I know that everything Luke is saying about it is true. I don't deal well with change in my own life, even positive change, and things like this make me being to feel nostalgic. I felt particularly that way because of that one little corner of the house on the farm. They got so, so close.
Who Should Read This Book
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a thought provoking, unique glance at cotton farming in Arkaksas in the 1950's, or to those with a thing for baseball. This book is easy to read, but it really makes you think about the secrets you keep, and what it really means to be a child in an adult's world.
Do you have any question for me? Let me know and I will include them in a Q&A post soon!
*This post contains affiliate links.
. I have pretty mixed, though positive feelings about this book, which should make for an interesting review. :)Amazon.com Summary
The hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day. It was a Wednesday, early in September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with three weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist-high to my father, over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop."
Thus begins the new novel from John Grisham, a story inspired by his own childhood in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it.
For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will change the lives of the Chandlers forever.
A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience.
My Review
For me, characters can make or break a book, and in this one, they made it. Luke is a terrific narrator, and through his eyes, you come to meet many unique characters. This book has a lot of characters in it, and I was pretty impressed at how really human many of them were. There are several antagonists over the course of the book (one of them was not a person), but none were really hateable to me. You only experience life as Luke knows it, and so you find yourself experiencing some of the characters as you would if you were a child. I'm having a hard time explaining exactly what I liked so much about the characters, but they are truly the best part of the book in my opinion.
The plot was good, though I would say that it is the weak link in this book. There was a point about half way through were I found myself just getting a little bored. There is not really an overarking plot, but more of an ebb and flow, which is very realistic, but not always as gripping for the reader. In the end, I was pleased with the story, and was happy I stuck with it, but be warned, there are some moments where you may be tempted to leave it for something a little faster. The plot is enjoyable, and there are some exciting parts, but many of the early conflicts get resolved rather quickly, and the new ones do not come up right away.
The writing was very enjoyable. I really liked how if really felt like it was being narrated by 7 year old Luke, and that part never felt fake. I think it worked because it was written in an almost nostalgic style, and so it feels more like an adult remembering and describing what life was like the summer he was seven. This keeps it from feeling too young. Also because of this, you can appreciate the characters in a way the Luke might not, because you can see the motivations behind their actions that a seven year old could not. The writing is easy to read, and felt real (for 1950's Arkansas) without feeling like historical fiction, where dialects and trends are often over emphasized.
At the risk of being a little spoilery, I am going to say that the end made me inexplicably sad. I was happy for Luke (and particularly his mother), but at the same time, it made me sad, since I know that everything Luke is saying about it is true. I don't deal well with change in my own life, even positive change, and things like this make me being to feel nostalgic. I felt particularly that way because of that one little corner of the house on the farm. They got so, so close.
Who Should Read This Book
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a thought provoking, unique glance at cotton farming in Arkaksas in the 1950's, or to those with a thing for baseball. This book is easy to read, but it really makes you think about the secrets you keep, and what it really means to be a child in an adult's world.
Do you have any question for me? Let me know and I will include them in a Q&A post soon!
*This post contains affiliate links.
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